


My Caffeine

by Octovunnie



Series: Awesamponk provider [2]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Coffee, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional support animal, Eventual Smut, Hot Chocolate, M/M, Medical scene, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ponk is a tired College student, Ponk is trying his best, References to Drugs, Relationship Advice, Sam likes to pamper, Sam own a Coffee shop, Strangers to Lovers, Teaching Hospital, They are both bi, but only Sam dresses like one, fieldwork, fran is here too, mentioned karlnapity, no beta we die like george in manhunts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:02:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29534463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Octovunnie/pseuds/Octovunnie
Summary: Ponk got stood up by his crushHeartbroken he tries to go back home but then the downpour hits and he runs trying to look for some kind of shelter.He ends up in a small cafe owned by Sam.
Relationships: Ponk | DropsByPonk/Sam | Awesamdude
Series: Awesamponk provider [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2169810
Comments: 87
Kudos: 523





	1. Hot chocolate for the broken heart

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was my late-night idea and with the help of my friend we figured out the overall concept for the story.
> 
> If you guys have any suggestions for the story please feel free to comment!
> 
> Word count: 1,445

Today was supposed to be special for Ponk.  
  
  
With his summer vacation almost over he finally had a chance to meet someone he had a crush on ever since he started attending the University. He tried his damn hardest not to make his feelings obvious but it was difficult for him. He decided to ask the person of his adoration to meet with him at the local park so that they could spend some time together and if Ponk was brave enough, confess his feelings to the crush. He couldn’t describe the happiness that filled him when the person agreed to the meeting.  
  
At the designated date he put an effort to wear very fashionable clothing, no over-sized hoodies that he was used to wearing, just a nice shirt and a leather jacket paired with beige khakis. He was nervous, of course he was, it’s his crush we are talking about. When Ponk was heading to the park his heart was beating fast and he could feel something in his throat making his breathing more difficult. As hard as it was to do, he had to act like it was a normal meeting with a friend.  
  
Ponk arrived at the park, 10 minutes early than the designated time. Hey, it’s better to be early than late, he thought as he reached for his phone. He sends a quick message to the crush letting them know he’s there. The text was read, but Ponk received no answer. They're probably getting here already so they don't need to respond, Ponk thought.  
  
As the time passed, the sky got cloudier and cloudier, the tree branches dancing on the wind that was definitely getting stronger. 20 minutes… 1 hour… 3 hours… A sad realization came over Ponk’s head as he looked at his phone with all the messages that he sends, all were read but received no reply. His black eyebrows furrowed as he let out a shaky sigh.  
  
  
He got stood up.  
  
  
Ponk expected rejection, no, it was certain that the person didn’t reciprocate his feelings, but to make such a low blow as this. It made Ponk rethink what he actually saw in his crush, now knowing full well that they were nothing but an absolute piece of shit. Ponk stood from the bench and started heading back home, the clouds covered the entire sky already, a looming thudding could be heard in the air. It was the rainy season and yet Ponk didn’t even think of bringing the umbrella, too much focused on the meeting that didn’t happen.  
  
Ponk reached the main town square the inevitable happened. The downpour happened making everyone around shielding themselves in any way they can, some putting on their hoods and others opening their umbrellas. Ponk had no such privilege right now so he just runs into one of the smaller pathways looking for any kind of cover. He noticed a canopy that belonged to a small coffee shop and decided to wait for the rain to stop there. By the time he was already there Ponk was drenched to the bone, his clothes sticking to the skin and hair falling down covering parts of his eyes.  
  
He stood there thinking this day couldn’t get any worse, he will definitely get sick because of this. He tried to be strong, he tried his best for this event not to affect him, but after all the effort he put in and the hurt he felt after being rejected in such a shameful way broke him down.  
  
Tears started to form in his eyes and as fast as they did, they fell down his cheeks and onto the pavement. He tried to dry them down with his jacket but there were so many he couldn’t keep up, there was no point to drench it any further. His nose sniffled and eyebrows furrowed but he did not let anger fuel him. He was better than this. Better than that asshole. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down, taking a deep, albeit shaky, breath.  
  
That’s when Ponk heard the cafe’s door open, followed by the ding of a bell. He looked towards the door and saw someone Ponk could assume was an owner of the establishment.  
  
He was much taller than Ponk, hair dyed deep green that was tied in a short ponytail. He wore a white t-shirt and black flannel over it which sleeves were rolled up above his elbows. Loose parts of the flannel covered the waist apron that greatly complemented the black jeans, cuffed at their ends.  
  
They stared at each other, Ponk still looked like a mess, his eyes and nose pink from all the crying and a trace of tears still visible on his face. The expression of the unknown man almost immediately turned into the one of understanding and compassion. He smiled as he pointed to the entrance of the coffee shop with his thumb.  
  
  
“Do you want to go inside? It doesn’t seem like the rain is going to stop anytime soon.”  
  
“I…” Ponk stopped as he heard that his voice was cracked up from all the crying. He just nodded and with a sheepish smile and followed the taller man inside, the warm air hitting onto him right away.  
  
  
The shop was spacious and looked almost like a cabin thanks to its wooden interior. Instead of traditional chairs, there were sofas and couches placed along the walls and a long table following cut at the corners. Other than Ponk there were three more customers and one shop worker.  
  
Ponk noticed a small reading area with two sofas and a big bookshelf, it looked cozy but the tanned man stopped himself from sitting there in fear of damaging any of the furniture with his damp clothing. He instead sat by the counter that was placed on the other side of the shop, next to it, a spiral staircase to what he could only assume was storage or a private living area.  
  
He saw the taller man go behind the counter and when he stood right in front of Ponk the shorter man got a glimpse of his name tag. “Sam”. What a nice name, he thought.  
  
  
“Let me grab you a towel,” Sam said while he crouched behind the counter, Ponk could hear a small cabinet open.  
  
  
“T-There's no need! I don’t want to be a bother, I already caused enough ruckus in front of the shop so-”  
  
“Nonsense.” Sam stood up, now holding one of his spare towels towards Ponk. “If you don’t dry yourself up, you’ll catch a cold.”  
  
  
Ponk hesitantly took the towel and started rubbing it on his head trying to get rid of the excessive amount of water still residing in his hair.  
  
After a while, Ponk put the, now, used towel back on the counter. He saw Sam standing by one of the machines probably preparing an order for another client. There was soft guitar music playing from the speakers, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere all around the place. Ponk’s eyes traveled back to the counter as his head slumped down. Although his face was now fixed up, his feelings weren’t. The pink still resided in his eyes and nose as he snuffled. He tried to pick up on his fingers to try and stop himself from crying again, it would be embarrassing, now that he’s in a public space with people watching.  
  
Warm air hit his face as a cup of what he soon realized was Hot chocolate was placed in front of him. Ponk lifts his head up only to see the man in front of him smile as he takes his own seat.  
  
  
“I didn’t know if you liked coffee so I went with a safe option. Perfect for a broken heart.”  
  
Ponk opened his eyes wide in disbelief. “I… Was it that obvious?” He felt like all of his life’s secrets were exposed from that one sentence.  
  
“It happened so many times before, I just kind of see it you know? Now drink up before it gets cold.”  
  
  
Ponk’s shaky hands reached towards the cup and as soon as the warmth of the vessel spread across the skin they relaxed. It didn’t take more than a sip for Ponk to smile, a soft thank you escaped his lips as he continued to drink. He looked at the taller man with obvious happy eyes but stopped right after he saw that emerald shimmer piercing right through him. He could hear a chuckle coming from the other side of the counter.  
  
  
“So… Since you probably know my name by now… Do you mind telling me yours?”


	2. Oh how fast time flies when you're having fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ponk meets Fran and later talks to Sapnap about his little adventure.
> 
> Word count: 1,760

“So… Since you probably know my name by now… Do you mind telling me yours?”  
  
  
Ponk looked at the taller, one of his leg’s ankle rested on the other’s knee, both of his hands lazily laid on the former. They both stared at each other, Ponk trying to gather his thoughts for some reason, it’s just his name he should give an answer right away. He put the cup back down on the counter, this time not breaking the eye contact, and let out a sheepish sigh ending up with a smile on his face.  
  
  
“You can call me Ponk.”  
  
“I assume that it’s a nickname?”  
  
“Yep… I don’t like people calling me by my given name.”   
  
“Noted.” He paused for a second. “So… Ponk.”  
  
“Yes?” The smaller man noticed a change in Sam’s voice, it was low and serious.  
  
“… Who do I have to beat up?” His eyebrows furrowed as he cracked both of his fists.  
  
“H-Huh?!” A shocked scoff escaped Ponk, soon followed by a fit of laughter. “Wait! you’re not being serious right now!”  
  
  
Sam’s expression relaxed as he heard Ponk laugh, he didn’t expect that kind of reaction from the smaller man. It honestly made him proud of himself for being able to brighten Ponk’s mood, making him forget about the hurtful event, even if it’s for a little while.  
  
  
The two of them talked for some time, not realizing that the downpour has already ended. Their conversations might not have been the most constructive because of the occasional client that Sam had to serve, but they enjoyed it nonetheless. That’s when the topic of pets came up.  
  
  
“Do you like dogs, Ponk?  
  
“Huh? Yeah, I always wanted a pet dog.”  
  
“Wanted? That means-”  
  
“Both of my parents were allergic so I never had any. I live alone now, but I have so much responsibility with the University already, I wouldn’t be able to take care of any animal…”  
  
Sam looks at Ponk for a while, an idea forms in his head. “Excuse me for a second.”   
  
  
The taller man stands up from his seat and opens the door that was right next to the counter. Sam let out a whistle and in a matter of seconds, the sound of patter could be heard from the other room. Ponk couldn’t believe what he just witnessed in the door frame. The only way he could describe it was a while ball of fluff, panting and happily wagging her tail at the sight of the new human.  
  
  
“Come on Fran, go and say hello”  
  
  
Fran quickly skirted the counter and went over to Ponk. She jumped, making her front paws land on the shorter man’s leg. Her smile was wide as she barked, waiting eagerly to be petted. Ponk was cautious at first but he quickly gave in, holding her head in both of his palms, giving scratches behind her ears. His heart melted right away when he heard Fran let out a soft woof content. Sam smiled like a goofball, wishing he could take a picture of this very moment.  
  
  
“She’s a two-year-old Samoyed and a failed service dog.”  
  
“Failed?” Ponk asks with a questioning look in his eyes.  
  
“As you can clearly see, Fran is… too friendly with the strangers.” He chuckled as the dog turned her head towards Sam, reacting to him calling her name. “But she’s still great for emotional support.”  
  
“Oh yeah, I can confirm that.”  
  
“She usually stays in the back because her fur sheds a lot, but she also has her own cushion at the reading area.”  
  
“I assume you have to brush her often?”  
  
“Yeah, it’s a daily routine. You should have seen my apartment the first two months I got her, fur was everywhere.”  
  
  
Time passed and it was almost closing time, there were no more customers only Ponk and Sam sitting now at the reading area of the shop. Ponk sat on the long couch, Fran’s head laying on the tanned man’s legs, snoozing away as her tail wagged. Sam was sitting on one of his favorite armchairs, his chin resting on the palm as he talked about his favorite customer encounters and stories about Fran. Even though it was the first time Sam and Ponk met, it felt like they knew each other for ages. Was it the mannerism of the older man or the similar interest, Ponk couldn’t tell. But there was something about it, that made him feel at ease.  
  
Their conversation faded as soon as Ponk let out a deep yawn, clearly stating his weariness. He looked at the phone for a split second before offering a shy smile towards Sam.  
  
  
“I think it’s time for me to go, I didn’t expect to stay here this long” Ponk slowly stood up, making sure not to wake up Fran for her nap. It didn’t work though ‘cause the Samoyed huffed in dissatisfaction as she lost the new source of her scratches.  
  
“Yeah, I had a lot of fun.” The taller man also stands up and starts walking his customer to the door “I never talked with someone so long during my working hours, to be honest, it felt like I had a day off.”  
  
  
They only smiled at each other, moment of silence filled in as Ponk fixed his jacket. His expression clearly showed that he was trying to form some kind of sentence in his head. He sighed defeated and decided to just go with the flow.  
  
  
“Thank you so much for today Sam, I really appreciate it.”  
  
“Oh don’t mention it, if you ever want to talk again, I’ll be here.”  
  
“I will definitely visit again, the new semester starts soon and I’ll have to try your coffee as soon as possible.”  
  
The taller man chuckled. “Well in that case I’ll look forward to it.”  
  
  
Ponk waved goodbye as he left the coffee shop. Sam stood outside and watched as the shorter man walked away, when he lost him from his sight he went back inside and locked the door. As soon as all the blinds were pulled down, Sam buried his face in both of his hands. He let out a deep sigh, frozen he stood in the same place for solid five minutes. When he finally pulled his face away from his own grasp he looked at his Samoyed, trying to sleep again.  
  
  
“Oh, Fran, we’re really in it now.” The only thing his dog offered in return was one open annoyed eye, and a deep yawn.  
  
  


* * *

  
Ponk finally arrived at his dorm, nothing welcoming him but a deafening silence. It’s not a nice feeling coming back to an empty house but Ponk got used to it by now. He took off his jacket and placed it on a hanger before heading to the kitchen, he should eat something before doing anything else. Ponk took some leftovers from yesterday and put them into a microwave, as he waited for the food to warm up he got a text from one of his friends  
  
  
 _“Are you home?”_  
  
 _“Just got back, I’m making myself some dinner rn”_  
  
 _“KK let me know when you can talk”_  
  
  
Ponk heard the microwave ping, he took the food, grabbed a fork from the shelf, and headed to his bedroom. 10 minutes later he set up everything up, and as was ready to eat he started the discord call with his friend. It took about two signals before he picked the call.  
  
  
“Ponky~!”  
  
“Hey, Sapnap.” Ponk took a bite of his food while he laid back on his chair. “You won’t believe what happened today.”  
  
“Huh? What do you-” A realization came over the brunette. “Oh- Did you had that date you mentioned some time ago?”  
  
“It wasn’t supposed to be a date but I guess it doesn’t matter now.” Ponk sighs as he takes another bite. “Motherfucker stood me up.”  
  
“Yikes, so they really are as shitty as people say.”  
  
“Yeah, honestly I feel so fucking stupid now.” Ponk let out a chuckle as he set aside the plate with his leftovers “But something good came out of it, so I’m not complaining.”  
  
“Oh? Well now I’m intrigued, tell me more.”  
  
“Well, when I was about to leave-”  
  
  
Ponk told Sapnap everything that happened, the downpour, the coffee shop, and its owner with his cute dog that brightened his shitty day. As he finished he was only met up with a deafening silence.  
  
  
“So… What you’re trying to tell me is that you spend almost an entire day in that coffee shop just because the owner… offered you a shelter and free hot chocolate?”  
  
“Pretty much? Is there something wrong with that?”  
  
“Oh… Oh, my sweet summer child.” Ponk could hear through the call that his friend covered his face, trying his damn hardest not to giggle. “Please tell me you at least got his phone number.”  
  
“W-Why would I do that? We just only met, and-” Ponk froze for a second, finally realizing what Sapnap had on his mind. “… No.”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“Don’t ‘HMM’ me Sapnap! You’re not getting me into another mess just like that, come on!”  
  
“Mess? So you don’t like the guy?”  
  
“Ah- Well… It’s not like I… don’t like him...” Ponk leans on his chair again as he sighs, trying his hardest not to hide his face in his hands “I… I need time Sap… And I don’t even know if he’s… You know.”  
  
“Well I’m sorry, but from what you have described him to me, he’s an embodiment of the Bisexual culture”  
  
“No, he’s not. Please stop assuming random people’s sexuality.”   
  
Sapnap took a long sip and gasped as he let go of the bottle. “Fine, do as you please, but don’t come running to me later crying when it’s going to be too late.”  
  
“Come on Sap, you’re being ridiculous right now…”  
  
“I said what I said.”  
  
  
Ponk was annoyed at this point, but that’s just the way Sapnap is. When he knew that Ponk had a crush on someone, his only advice was to go for it. It always worked out for Sapnap, now him being in a poly relationship with Karl and Alex.   
  
But Ponk was different. He didn’t want to rush in, he wanted to take things slow. Always preparing his heart for the worst. Knowing fully well the risks he was taking. He wasn’t prepared well enough this time so that’s why he got hurt, he thought.   
  
  
But maybe this time… Maybe this time it was okay to just… let things happen on their own.


	3. When life gave me lemons, I made you a coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ponk starts the new semester at his university with a pleasant (?) surprise
> 
> I'm uploading this chapter at 12.30 am if there are any errors I apologize, I'll try to fix them as soon as I wake up o7
> 
> Word count: 1,573

It was the beginning of September now and that meant a start of the new semester for Ponk. Going to medical is no easy feat, with thousands of assignments piled over your head and another hundred hours of fieldwork can really tire you out. And what’s a better way to prepare your mind for a hard day than a cup of coffee?  
  
Ponk visited the shop three more times after his first visit. However, every time instead of Sam, he was met and served by the part-timers working at the establishment. The only things that Ponk knew about them were their names and the fact that they were twin brothers. The tanned man never complained about his drink but there was a thought stuck at the back of his head, the craving for Sam’s brew that he still had no opportunity to taste.  
  
But for that of course, Ponk would have to see Sam again which made him anxious. It’s been so long, Ponk was scared that the taller man wouldn’t recognize him anymore, then it would be even weirder to ask him for the god-forsaken phone number.   
  
Unnecessary doubts filled Ponk’s head again as he entered the small road leading to the coffee shop. After he reached the building his deep brown eyes noticed the familiar posture in its window, making the tanned man hitch his breath. Sam was standing with his back facing the entrance, talking to one of the twins who was currently on cleaning duty. Ponk took a deep breath trying to calm himself down as he grabbed the door handle, the familiar bell chime was heard throughout the shop.  
  
When Sam turned around, he couldn’t help himself but stare, as if he witnessed a miracle manifest right in front of his eyes. Ponk felt relief when the taller man smiled and waved at him. So Sam still remembered him, that’s good. He couldn’t help but smile himself as he reached the counter soon met with these shimmering emerald eyes.  
  
  
“Hi there.” Sam greeted him as he was tying his waist apron.  
  
“Hi… It’s been a while huh?” Ponk wasn’t very good at small talk, and it showed.  
  
“Yeah, almost two weeks? Have you been ignoring me?” Sam chuckled as he threw the tease at the shorter man. Lucky for him Ponk didn’t mind, on the contrary, he really enjoyed it. So much so that he decided to play along.  
  
“ _Oh no, I would never~_ ” Ponk sighed as his hands held onto the back of the chair, that stood by the counter. “I have just been very unlucky… Whenever I came you weren’t here so…”   
  
“I usually spend most of my time at the back or in the office, you should have asked Wilbur or Techno to call for me.”  
  
“Come on, I didn’t want to distract you from your work…”  
  
“Huh… If you say so” Sam placed both of his arms on his hips “But now that you’re here, what can I get for you?”  
  
The tanned man looked at the chalkboard that was hung behind the counter, his eyes opened wide as he saw his favorite type of coffee on the menu. “I’ll take Espresso Romano.”  
  
  
The taller man was clearly surprised by the order. It seemed like not many people have enjoyed this specific combination.  
  
  
“Well… I never took you as the lemon guy.”  
  
“Is it that weird?”  
  
“I wouldn’t phrase it like that.” Sam turned his back as he started to prepare the espresso maker. “It’s more… unique.”  
  
  
Ponk blinked rapidly at what he assumed was a compliment from Sam. He saw as the taller man placed everything that's needed on the working station. Two shots of espresso, one lemon, and a short knife.  
  
  
“Is it going to be on-site or takeaway?”   
  
“As much as I would love to stay, my lecture starts soon so… Takeaway”  
  
  
Sam only nodded before starting to work on the order. It’s been a while since Ponk witnessed the taller man in action, and to be honest he really missed the sight. You could see the enjoyment in his eyes. Sam clearly knew what he was doing and took pride in it.   
  
As the espresso was pouring into the takeout cup, Sam cut the lemon in half one of which he started peeling for the twists that would be later found in the cup. When the espresso maker was turned off, Sam squeezed the lemon juice of the other half right into the coffee, making sure any seeds won’t fall in by accident. He put two previously mentioned twists inside and closed the coffee cup. In the end, making sure that Ponk doesn’t notice, he scribbled something on a small piece of paper before putting it behind the cup’s holder and handing it to the tanned man with a smile on his face.  
  
Ponk paid for his drink and as he took the first sip, the expression on his face became more energized. He never liked the taste of the coffee. But the lemon, (despite the fruit’s sour taste on its own) brought a specific aftertaste of sweetness to the brew. Which ultimately made it more tolerable for the tanned man.  
  
  
“It’s perfect.”  
  
  
Sam only hummed in response which made Ponk move his head, now facing the owner of the shop. It could be a perfect time to ask for that damn phone number now, Ponk thought. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. It still felt like it was too early for such a move. They only met two times after all and the tanned man didn’t want to make Sam uncomfortable. Or at least that’s an excuse Ponk made for himself so that he wouldn’t feel bad for being such a coward. Old habits die hard as they say.  
  
  
“Well… I should be going now, thanks again for the coffee.”  
  
“Of course, feel free to come by anytime”  
  
  
After they waved at each other one more time Ponk left the shop, the chime of a bell filling the space once again. As Sam was opening the cash registry, he locked eyes with one of the twins who was still cleaning the near area. He was evidently smirking, trying his best not to comment on what he just witnessed.  
  
  
“… What is it, Wilbur?”  
  
“I was just thinking... What if he doesn’t see it?”  
  
“Then I will do it until he does.”  
  


* * *

  
Ponk entered the University and still with the coffee cup in his hand he headed towards the Lecture hall. There weren’t many people around mostly because of how few classes were held at this hour. As he entered the designated room, the tanned man noticed a familiar face… or rather hood hidden in between crossed arms and a sound of obvious snoring.  
  
  
“WELL IF IT ISN’T OUR PROMINENT PEDIATRICIAN IN THE MAKING!” Ponk exclaimed rather loudly as he sat next to the sleeping student, placing his shoulder bag with a thud that finally woke him up.  
  
“W-Wuh?! What!? Who!?” He stood with his back straight, looking around as to try and locate the source of sound that brought him back to the living. Soon after a death glare was sent towards Ponk who was still drinking his coffee casually and acting as if nothing happened.  
  
“It’s good to see you too, Bad.”  
  
  
The abruptly awoken student only sighed knowing fully well that he was too tired to deal with Ponk. One of his hands massaged the temple as if trying to erase any kind of fatigue that was still present in his body.  
  
  
“Why do you have to be the first thing I have to deal with in the morning?”  
  
“Because we’re stuck in this god damn lecture together, and I think it’s too late to make new friends now.”  
  
“Ugh… I hate it when you’re right…“ When Bad became more conscious about his surroundings he noticed the cup that Ponk was holding. “You were at that coffee shop again?”  
  
“... Yep.”  
  
“And the owner you mentioned?”  
  
“He was there this time… And he made the order for me… “  
  
  
Bad noticed a sudden change in Ponk's voice. It was happy, soft, paired well with that goofball smile filled with reminiscence. Then he noticed something sticking out of Ponk's cup. He put two and two together which made him want to tease Ponk, as revenge of course.  
  
  
“Awh… How nice” There was a tone in Bad’s voice that Ponk wasn’t very appreciative of.   
  
“Please stop. You’re acting just like Sapnap.”  
  
“You can’t really blame us, you’re like an open book.”  
  
“Whatever.”  
  
“Oh come on, Muffin head! I bet he’s been sending you signals this entire time, and you just didn’t notice.”  
  
“Signals? Like what?”  
  
“Oh… I don’t know, maybe something like this?” Bad said as he took the previously noticed sticking-out piece of paper from the cup’s holder. He waved it before Ponk’s wide-open eyes with a smirk on his face. “I wonder what that might be?”  
  
“Wh-! Give me that, right now!”  
  
  
Ponk quickly snatched the paper from Bad’s hand. Bewildered, he stared, trying to figure out what it could contain. Or maybe he knew but wanted it to be just a prank from Sam’s side. His hands started to shake as he slowly unfolded the paper and soon after the tanned man’s face flushed as he witnessed 10 digits written on the card and a small doodle of a lemon right next to it.


	4. The aspirations of a young soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ponk texts with Sam and is doing some fieldwork!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! It's late again so if there are any mistakes I will most likely correct them tomorrow morning
> 
> Also, there are some mentions of drug usage in this chapter (by the patient, not the main Bois)
> 
> There's also some medical vocabulary here and there, I don't know most of this stuff myself even with the research that I already did so if there's any inaccuracy, blame it on me being dumb lol. There are two terms that I put the definition of in the endnotes tho, hope that helps somehow.
> 
> Word count: 1,459

Ponk couldn’t focus. His mind drifted away as he looked at his phone, Sam’s phone number already saved in his contacts. He still wasn’t sure if it was a real phone number or just a prank, though Ponk didn’t deem Sam as someone who would make these types of jokes.  
  
The chat was still empty and tormenting his eyes. He tried to type some simple message like ‘hi’ or ‘it’s Ponk’ but nevertheless he couldn’t bring himself to do so. The tanned man didn’t even know why he was so nervous in the first place. Sam was clearly showing interest in keeping in touch with Ponk even outside the coffee shop, after that two-week period of no interaction. Still, Ponk was surprised that his first impression was good(?) enough for the older man to do something like this. And it’s not like Ponk didn’t want to talk with Sam more.  
  
The tanned man let out air through his nose, too early my ass. If Sam was giving the signs, (as subtle as they were) then Ponk should take them. His hands were still shaky but Ponk finally started typing a decent first message.  
  
  
 _“If it wasn’t for my colleague, I wouldn’t be texting you right now.”_  
  
  
He sends the text and regretted it right away. It sounded too rude, demeaning even, almost like Sam wasn’t worthy of texting him. He wanted to correct himself but stopped when he saw a bubble and three dots, indicating that Sam is writing an answer. He’s really screwed up, Ponk though.  
  
  
 _“Guess I owe your colleague a favor then :) How’s the lecture?”_  
  
  
Ponk only blinked a couple of times, then he covered his mouth as he chuckled to himself, he really should stop overthinking things. Ponk looked over his phone and noticed the door to the hall open, the professor with his stacks of papers and suitcase, slowly approaching his desk.  
  
  
 _“It’s about to start… I already want it to be over though.”_  
  
 _“Oh I know the feeling, I finished my degree last year but the thought of still attending the classes haunts me.”_  
  
 _“Oh? What’s your degree?”_  
  
 _“Business & Management.”_  
  
 _“Huh, should have figured that one out.”_  
  
  
There was no response from Sam, so Ponk decided to put away his phone and focus on the lecture for now. He looked over his shoulder to see Bad again asleep and as much as he wanted to nag him, he decided to let the pour soul get some rest and eventually share the notes later.  
  
Ponk took his laptop out from the shoulder bag and set it on the desk, waiting for it to boot up. More people started to gather around and as soon as the first slide from the professor showed on the hall’s display the entire room was filled with the sound of clicking keyboards. People wouldn’t assume this of Ponk at first but he’s a real hard worker, he had a goal set for himself ever since he was a kid and went with it. Sure he was getting tired a lot and complained from time to time but that’s just the human flaw everyone had, and there was nothing wrong with that. Giving up his own comfort will be all worth it in the end, at least that’s what he kept telling himself to stay motivated all this time.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
After two long lectures, Ponk headed towards the local teaching hospital to attend his weekly fieldwork. When he got there and changed into the work clothes, the tanned man noticed a familiar face waiting for him by the door.  
  
  
“How are you doing today, big guy?”  
  
“Doctor Clay.”  
  
“Hope you’re ready for today, it’s going to be a long shift.”  
  
“… I assume we’re not doing usual group fieldwork this time?”  
  
“Nope! Now follow me I’m gonna explain everything”  
  
  
Both Ponk and Clay left the locker room and went to the elevator. While they were inside Clay pressed the button to the ICU unit which right away made Ponk pale, he looked at his instructor with wide-open eyes.  
  
  
“S-Sir, I don’t think I’m ready for-”  
  
“Sure you are kiddo.”  
  
“But- I’m only a Sophomore this kind of environment is going to be-”  
  
“Stressful? Of course, it will be, that’s why we need you to prepare you psychologically if you want to work in this field.”  
  
“So… It’s a test?”  
  
“Exactly. Don’t you worry, I will be here all the time in case things go south. You just need to focus on your tasks, alright?”  
  
  
Dream patted Ponk’s back reassuringly a couple of times which helped the shorter man calm down. The elevator dinged and the door slowly opened. A nurse stood outside, holding a clipboard with Ponk assumed was one of the patient’s papers.  
  
  
“Hello Puffy!” Both of them went outside, Puffy only smiled and handed the clipboard over to Clay. He continued while looking quickly through the papers. “You remember Ponk right?”  
  
“Of course” The nurse looked at the tanned man with a playful smirk. “Staff is talking about your group all the time, you guys are really something else.”  
  
“O-Oh is that so?” By this time all three of them started walking throughout the corridor, bypassing other students and their instructors.  
  
“Yeah! Even the Dean himself is praising you lot. And we both know that it doesn’t happen often, right duckling?”  
  
  
Clay cleared his throat loudly and gave Puffy an annoyed look. Ponk didn’t comment on what he just heard and just waited for the instructions. They stopped in front of one of the patient’s rooms.  
  
  
“Right… Now, Ponk, take a look at this, can you tell me what happened here?”  
  
Ponk took the holder and looked through the pages “… It looks like a stroke.”  
  
“What gave it away?”  
  
“First it was the obvious face drooping and high blood pressure… Then Vasculitis.”  
  
“And what caused it?”  
  
“Drugs. Either cocaine or amphetamines. Most likely the latter, you can clearly see the dilated pupils.”  
  
“Is the surgery needed?”  
  
“Depends, I would have to look at the brain CT scan.”  
  
“It’s right here.” Puffy handed the tanned man the scan. “It was taken an hour ago.”  
  
“… The damage doesn’t seem to be this severe… I think some Thrombolytics should be enough.”  
  
  
Ponk looked at Clay and handed him back the clipboard, he was waiting for a reaction and was surprised a bit when he received a proud smile from the doctor.  
  
  
“Well, what can I say, you really know what you’re doing…”  
  
“I-It’s nothing really, it’s basic knowledge.”  
  
“Ah come on Ponk! Learn to accept compliments!” Puffy exclaimed as she put both hands on her hips.  
  
“Alright, let’s get to the next patient.”  
  
  


* * *

  
  


Five hours later Ponk ended his fieldwork and was currently sitting on a train back to his dorm. His eyelids were heavy but in fear of missing his station, he stayed awake. That’s when the tanned man heard a message notification from his phone. He took the device out of the pocket, his honey-brown eyes were suddenly energized as they witnessed its content.  
  
  
 _“I didn’t want to distract you from school so I didn’t text much, but it’s quite late now, hope you’re doing okay.”_  
  
  
Under the text was a picture with Fran being petted on her belly, by what Ponk could figure out by the nail polish, was Sam. He saved it, contemplating if it should become his new phone wallpaper.  
  
  
 _“I’m actually heading home right now. Fieldwork really tired me out today.”_  
  
 _“Wait. You had lecture AND fieldwork today?”_  
  
 _“Yep, it doesn’t happen often though, I would be dead by now if it did.”_  
  
 _“Man, you have it tough, I hope you at least ate something today.”_  
  
 _“I did, don’t you worry”_  
  
 _“Just making sure."_ _  
"Hey, I wanted to ask... Do you want to hang tomorrow?"  
_ _"Like, I understand if you don't want to, you must be very tired after today, and all"  
  
_ Ponk chuckled at the rapid messages he got from Sam, almost as if he tried to fix a stupid mistake that he never made. "Sam, _I'm not THAT tired. I would love to hang out."  
  
"Great! Uhm... So, is there anything, in particular, that you want to do?"  
  
"Since you're the one inviting, I'll let you surprise me."  
  
"Bet."  
  
_Ponk looked through the window for a second. _“I’m almost at my station, I’m gonna head off, okay?”_  
  
 _“Alright, see ya tomorrow :)”  
  
_

* * *

 _  
_Ponk laid in his bed half-conscious, his thumb scrolled through all the texts he had with Sam. Although he still wasn't so sure of his feelings towards the older man, the thought of spending most of the day with him, just like they did when they first met, made Ponk hum in contact. Yeah, tomorrow's gonna be great.  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vasculitis - Inflammation of the blood vessels. The inflammation can cause the walls of the blood vessels to thicken, which reduces the width of the passageway through the vessel.
> 
> Thrombolytics - Medicines that may be used for the emergency treatment of a stroke caused by a blood clot.


	5. My approach is not the same as yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date(?) time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there, before you start reading I just wanted to let you all know that the end of chapter 4 was slightly edited (only the part where Ponk and sam are texting each other) so please make sure to re-read that part.
> 
> I had a bit of a writing block so that's why this chapter is a bit shorter than usual, I hope you guys will understand.
> 
> As always if there are any mistakes please let me know I will try to correct them as soon as I can!
> 
> Word count: 1,054

An alarm echoed in Ponk’s bedroom. The tanned man rustled in his bed before slowly fluttering his eyes open. He was surprisingly fully rested despite all the workout he had to go through the day before. Ponk steadied himself from the bed, pulling his arms up as he stretched his entire body. He took his phone from the nightstand and while wearing nothing but his nightshirt and boxers, he headed towards the kitchen to prepare himself breakfast.  
  
Once he settled with his meal by the kitchen counter, Ponk looked at his phone reading through all the messages he and Sam send to each other last night. Sam always took the effort to talk with Ponk so this time, he decided to text the shop owner first.  
  
  
 _“Hey Sam, you up?”  
  
_ The answer was almost instant _“Ponk! Yeah, I just woke up recently, what’s up? :)”  
  
_ _“Oh, well… We were supposed to hang today, but we haven’t even decided on the place and time.  
  
_ _“Haha! True, my bad. I completely forgot about that”_  
 _“How about we meet in like three hours? We can meet halfway through, at the park.”  
  
_ _“Sure, that’s fine by me… As long as you don’t stood me up lol”  
  
_ _“Oh my God! I would never!”  
  
_ _“I know you wouldn’t, I’m just joking"  
  
_ _“You shouldn’t be joking about things like that :(“  
  
_ _“Alright, Alright, I’ll see you in a few”  
  
  
_ Ponk finished his breakfast. While he cleaned the plate, he was wondering what to wear. September made itself felt by its approaching colder weather so it would only make it appropriate to prepare a warmer outfit.  
  
After cleaning everything in the kitchen Ponk went back to his room and opened the closet. He didn’t have many nice clothes, but still, he had enough fashion sense to pull off a good look. From the abundance of over-sized hoodies (most of which are from the university) he took one of two leather jackets that he owned. It was brown, with a cream-colored faux-fur on its wide double collar as well as on its inside. At the bottom there were sewn in loops and a decorative belt going right through, sticking out of the jacket. He paired the main garment with simple black, long-sleeved shirt, gray jeans, and black ankle boots with white laces.  
  
It was perfect.

* * *

  
  
Two and a half hours have passed. Ponk was sitting on the train, approaching closer to the destined station. While on the ride, he was texting with Sapnap who clearly knew what was going on.  
  
  
 _“So you two are going on a date?”  
  
_ _“It’s not a date Sapnap, we’re just hanging out”  
  
  
_ Sapnap sends Ponk a ‘Sure, Jan’ GIF which only makes the tanned man roll his eyes.  
  
  
 _“Why do you have to make everything about dating? Can’t two guys just go spend some time together?”  
  
_ _“Idk man, that sounds pretty gay to me”  
  
_ _“Sapnap.”  
  
_ _“You’re making everything so unnecessarily difficult both for you and Sam.”  
  
_ _“Difficult? How?”  
  
_ _“By ignoring all the effort he’s putting in! Don’t you see it?”_  
 _“He took you in when you were at your lowest, gave you his phone number, and now asked you to spend some of his free time with you.”_  
 _“If that doesn’t scream ‘I’m interested in you’ I don’t know what is.”  
  
_ _“You’re making such a big deal out of this.”  
  
_ _“No. You're the one disregarding what’s obvious.”  
  
  
_ Ponk took a deep breath before typing a large number of short texts.   
  
  
_“I Just”_  
 _“UGH!”_  
 _“My relationship with Sam isn’t your DAMN business!”_  
 _“And it’s not as easy as you’re trying to make it!”_  
 _“So just”_  
 _“Just fucking stop!”_  
 _“PLEASE!”_  
 _“...”_  
 _“Please.”  
  
  
_ It took at least ten minutes for Sapnap to reply. And when Ponk finally decided to read it, his eyebrows furrowed, instantly regretting his decision.  
  
  
 _“You’re right, this is not my business.”_  
 _“But if you keep doing this, it will only end up hurting Sam.”_  
 _“Do with this what you will.”  
  
  
_ Ponk was irritated. Yes, he saw the signs. And yes, he chooses to ignore them. He doesn’t want it to be a big thing, at least not for now. He just wants to spend more time with a person Ponk considers to be friends with. He wants to make sure that his feelings are genuine and not a temporary crush caught because of the kindness he received from the other man. It was confusing, but it was something Ponk had to deal with for now. Alone.  
  
Ponk exited the train and started heading towards the park. It wasn’t that far away from the station and in no time Ponk was at the park’s main entrance. He could feel his nerves starting to act up, his stomach twisted and breath hitching through his nose. An unpleasant memory from August returned, trying to torment his mind.  
  
The worry dissolved as Ponk heard a familiar woof, accompanied by loud fast-paced footsteps. The tanned man quickly put his phone away in his back pocket and turned his head towards the sound.  
  
  
“Fran, calm down!”   
  
  
The taller man told with a firm voice, but his pet didn’t pay any mind to the command. The two-year-old Samoyed just as the first time they met, jumped on Ponk with her two front paws, panting happily. Ponk smiled, his two hands cupping the dog’s head right away and giving it a big ‘ol ruffle.   
  
  
“I’m happy to see you too, Fran”  
  
  
Sam just stood there completely silent, staring, as if he tried to capture the very sight he just witnessed. Ponk looked up and locked eyes with the taller man, they both smiled and greeted each other.  
  
  
“Hi there.”  
  
“Hi.”  
  
  
Ponk couldn’t stop looking at the outfit Sam had. He wore a black turtleneck paired with a thin silk scarf and an unbuttoned plaid pea-coat. His black jeans, as the custom, were cuffed at its ends and paired with brown boots that had an unusually higher heel. It almost made Ponk jealous how much more sophisticated the taller man looked, but the possibility of Sam dressing like that just for him made Ponk happy.  
  
  
“I didn’t know you were bringing Fran with you.”   
  
“You said you wanted to be surprised, and I thought a long walk in the park would do Fran some good.”  
  
“Oh, yeah she seems very excited.”  
  
“Shall we go then?”


End file.
